Loyola Marymount Gains Split of Four-Game Series With 11-5 Win

Sunday, March 13

1 pm

6-8

Loyola Marymount

11-6

Loyola Marymount

Cal Poly

Loyola Marymount Gains Split of Four-Game Series With 11-5 Win

3/13/2011 12:00:00 AM | Baseball

Box Score

SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. – Third baseman Alex Guthrie produced a pair of two-run doubles and also had a single, driving in a total of five runs, to lead Loyola Marymount to an 11-5 victory over Cal Poly and a split of their four-game non-conference baseball series Sunday afternoon at Baggett Stadium.

Shortstop Shon Roe singled three times and knocked in two runs while center fielder Ryan Hawthorne drove in three runs with his two singles as Loyola Marymount improved to 11-6. Cal Poly, which left the bases loaded in each of the first three innings of the game, fell to 6-8.

Loyola Marymount overcame an early 2-1 deficit with four runs in the fourth inning and added three more in the fifth to pull away.

Aaron Griffin (3-1) allowed one unearned run and two hits in 4 1/3 innings in relief of starter John Lally for the win. Chris Eusebio earned a three-inning save as he gave up two runs and three hits. Both Griffin and Eusebio walked one and struck out one.

The loss went to Mustang senior right-hander Steven Fischback (1-1) as he allowed seven runs (five earned) and six hits in four innings. Donny Medlinger and Taylor Chris pitched in relief for Cal Poly.

Loyola Marymount outhit Cal Poly 13-8. Catcher Matt Koch added two singles and right fielder Brett Simonitsch contributed a double for the Lions.

Cal Poly was paced by first baseman J.J. Thompson (pictured above) with a double and two-run home run. Right fielder Mitch Haniger and left fielder Jimmy Allen both doubled and third baseman Evan Busby also doubled to extend his hitting streak to eight games.

The Mustangs scored single runs in the first two innings for a 2-1 lead. Catcher Elliot Stewart broke an 0-for-13 slump with an RBI single up the middle in the first inning and shortstop Mike Miller's groundout tallied the run in the second frame.

After Loyola Marymount scored four times for a 5-2 lead in the top of the fourth, Cal Poly got one run back in the bottom of the inning on a sacrifice fly by Busby before the Lions broke the game open with a three-run fifth-inning rally.

Cal Poly's final two runs came on Thompson's first home run of the year, a two-run shot to left field in the seventh.

The Mustangs went 0-for-4 with the bases loaded Sunday and stranded nine runners on the
basepaths in the first three frames. For the game, Cal Poly left a dozen runners on base.

Second baseman Denver Chavez struck out with the bases loaded to end the first inning. Miller's groundout knocked in a run in the second, but Stewart also grounded out with the bases loaded to end the inning. Miller grounded out to first base with the bases loaded to end the third inning.

The Mustangs played the entire series without second baseman Matt Jensen, out with a wrist injury. First baseman/left fielder Tim Wise missed the final three games of the series with a leg injury.

Cal Poly, 2-for-15 with the bases loaded this season and hitting just .255 with runners in scoring position, was led in the series by Chavez and Thompson, both of whom went 6-for-15 with two RBI. Busby, center fielder Bobby Crocker and designated hitter DJ Gentile each collected four hits.

The Mustangs take the week off for Winter Quarter finals, returning to action Saturday with the opener of a three-game series against 2010 College World Series runner-up UCLA. Games Saturday and Monday begin at 6 p.m., sandwiching a 2 p.m. contest Sunday.

The Bruins are 8-6 after dropping a 2-0 decision to USC on Sunday in the final game of the Dodgertown Classic at Dodger Stadium.